Santa Cruz Warriors Mystify The Magic, Outshining Osceloa 145-111

 KISSIMMEE, FL - In the team’s first road game since February 4, the Santa Cruz Warriors (14-12) jumped out to a 30-point advantage in the second quarter and cruised to a dominant 145-111 victory over the Osceola Magic (16-10) at Silver Spurs Arena on Wednesday evening.

    Forward Blake Hinson finished with a game-high 37 points, shooting 13-of-19 from the field and 6-of-9 from three-point range. Two-way forward Braxton Key recorded 26 points, eight rebounds, and three steals, while forward Javan Johnson connected on five threes to follow suit with 23 points of his own. Guard Yuri Collins earned his 11th double-double of the season, putting up 15 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds. Two-way forward Jackson Rowe, in his first game back from injury, contributed 18 points, eight rebounds, and two steals.

    Two-way guard Mac McClung led the Magic with 25 points and three steals, while forward Myron Gardner followed closely behind with 23 points and 16 rebounds. Two-way guard Ethan Thompson recorded 16 points and four rebounds and guard/forward Jarrett Culver contributed 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists off the bench for Osceola.

    Osceola found early success crashing the offensive glass, scoring back-to-back putback layups to cap off a 12-3 Magic run and take a seven-point advantage just over four minutes into the game. Forwards Hinson and Key led the Santa Cruz charge to start the game, scoring 22 of the team’s first 24 points as the Warriors reclaimed a 24-21 lead with four minutes to play in the opening frame. The Sea Dubs closed the quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 39-23 advantage into the second segment. Santa Cruz’s offense continued to surge, as a rim-rattling fast break dunk from Hinson put an exclamation point on an early 7-0 Sea Dubs run and sent the Magic into their timeout trailing, 46-23. After starting the game 0-of-13 from behind the arc, McClung and forward Jalen Slawson connected on a pair of shots from distance to bring Osceola within 20 points, but the Warriors remained ahead, 53-34, with 7:44 left in the first half. Hinson, Key, and Johnson continued to score at will, combining for 65 points in the first half and extending the Warriors lead to as many as 31 points before eventually taking an 81-53 advantage into the halftime break.

    The Magic threw the first punch of the second half, opening the frame on a 9-0 run within the first two minutes to bring their deficit back under 20 points. After scoring just five points in the first four minutes of the segment, Jackson Rowe, who finished the third quarter with 11 points, reinvigorated the visiting team’s offense with a pair of three-pointers as Santa Cruz expanded their margin back up to 30 points. Osceola continued to struggle from behind the three-point line, shooting a combined 6-of-32 through the first three quarters, and the Warriors rolled into the fourth frame with a 113-80 lead. Osceola was quick to put their second unit into the match in the fourth quarter as the Warriors continued to own a 30+ point advantage six minutes into the final frame. Collins, Rowe, and Hinson each contributed seven points in the fourth quarter to keep the Warriors far in front, leading by as many as 41 points — one point shy of a franchise record — with 1:50 left in the game. The Magic scored seven unanswered points to end the game as the Warriors surged past Osceola to claim a dominant 145-111 victory over the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

    The Santa Cruz Warriors will travel to Birmingham, Alabama for a pair of games against the Squadron Friday, March 14, and Sunday, March 16. Tip-off for Friday’s game against the Squadron is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PT. Stay up to date with the latest Santa Cruz Warriors news, scores, and exclusive content by downloading the official Santa Cruz Warriors app for iOS and Android. Fans interested in securing the best seats at the lowest price are encouraged to call (831) 713-4400, email scwtickets@warriors.com, or visit santacruzbasketball.com for more information.